What You Should Know About Recycling Contamination in New Mexico

Did you know that around 75% of all waste is recyclable but only 34% of it is actually recycled? On top of that, recycling contamination is a prevalent issue. This results in many materials that could have been reused going to the landfill where they are left to waste. 

Unfortunately, New Mexico has one of the worst recycling infrastructures in the country, ranking at number 41 out of 50. However, all is not lost. Learning about what recycling contamination is and ways you can combat it is the first step toward progress. 

This guide will go over everything you need to know about recycling contamination and the resources that are available to you. 

What Is the Recycling Contamination Definition?

Recycling contamination refers to when incorrect items are placed in a recycling bin. This includes items that should be in a different recycling stream, such as garden organics and e-waste. 

Some main causes of recycling contamination include:

• Unwanted and/or hazardous materials that are recycling, including diapers, batteries, needles, and paint
  
• Leftover liquids or food waste that leak or spill onto other items
  
• Unclear recycling bin labels that make it confusing for people to know where their items go
• Various items tossed incorrectly into recycling bins, like straws, grocery bags, and coffee cup lids
• Differing recycling regulations between various states and cities

When an item that's in the wrong recycling stream travel through a recycling system, it can damage or contaminate other correct recyclable materials. Even an item that contains grease or oil can turn recyclables into garbage. Just one person incorrectly separating their trash can put the entire recycling collection at risk. 

Ways to Avoid Recycling Contamination 

There are ways to ensure you're doing your part to decrease recycling contamination. You can also share these tips with your friends and family to ensure they're following best practices as well. 

Clean and Empty Out Your Containers

Since containers that have food residue in them can contaminate other pieces of recycling, you should clean them out before tossing them in the bin. Soiled cardboard or paper isn't usable at recycling facilities. It'll be sent to the landfill. 

Cleaning it out doesn't mean running them through the dishwasher or scrubbing them. You can simply rinse them out or fill them with water and shake them. Just be sure all the contaminated water is drained out. 

Eliminate Food Grease

Pizza boxes are made from cardboard and soak up their grease. This results in major issues when the boxes are being processed at the recycling center. Trying to clean the box with water won't work since it's made from paper. 

The best thing to do is to remove the portion that's greasy from the rest of the pizza box. Put that part in the garbage and recycle the clean parts. If any food packaging has grease on it, you need to put it in the trash. 

Donate Plastic Containers 

If you have black takeout containers, put them in the trash. They're not accepted by most recycling facilities. You can consider washing them and donating them to a local food kitchen. 

Locate the Right Recycling Facilities

The average recycling center receives countless hazardous waste materials, furniture, and other items. Those types of items need disposed of separately and not recycling.

Additionally, there are certain recycling centers that handle scrap metal recycling or aluminum recycling. When you want to get rid of certain items, make sure you're taking them to the right place. 

When in doubt, research what you can recycle in your area and where you take it. That's the best way to handle those types of items instead of contaminating your recycling or leaving on the side of the road. 

Don't Recycle Your Batteries

Tossing your old batteries in the recycling bin can have catastrophic results. A fire could start due to chemical leaks or combustion. Even if a fire doesn't start, they could get compressed by other items in the garbage truck and leak over other items. 

There are eco-friendly ways to recycle your batteries. Some popular hardware stores allow you to recycle them in specially designated bins inside their store. 

Put Your Coffee Cups in the Garbage

You may think that because a coffee cup is made from paper that it's recyclable but they're not. That's because they have a plastic lining that would get mixed in with the paper pulp when it's recycled. If you can't use a regular coffee mug or a reusable one, be sure to put your coffee cups in the trash. 

Don't Recycle Your Plastic Bags

Unfortunately, plastic bags are the top contaminators of recycling bins. They end up getting tangled in gears at various facilities. This can pose a hazard to workers that have to try and untangle them. 

As a result, they're typically not accepted at recycling sorting facilities. You shouldn't put them in your recycling bin at home. Some retailers have drop-off bins where you can recycle plastic bags the correct way. 

Read the Labels on Freezer Boxes

Frozen food often comes in what appears to be a cardboard box. Like coffee cups, they have a plastic or wax lining. This prevents your food from becoming freezer burnt. 

There isn't a good way for these boxes to be sorted from regular cardboard boxes. They can contaminate an otherwise good batch of recycled cardboard very easily due to the plastic. 

Soft Paper Items Get Thrown Away

Tissues, napkins, and paper towels don't belong in the recycling bin. By the time they need to get tossed, they're usually very soiled.

They're also made from fibers that are in their tiniest usable components. This results in them contaminating recycling very easily. 

Look for eco-friendly, reusable options in lieu of these paper products. You can throw them in the wash instead of wasting them after. 

Educate Yourself on Local Recycling Regulations

As you can see, recycling contamination is a big issue that needs to be addressed. Doing your part and educating yourself is a big step. 

To learn more about how to recycling and dispose of your waste properly in New Mexico, check out one of our other articles.